I’m proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Cllr Ian Venables who has been the victim of bureaucratic bungling by Thanet District Council. Ian does incredible work with some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
In this article in the Isle of Thanet News, I’m quoted as saying:
“Ian Venables is a hard-working councillor, loved and valued by his constituents. He has done absolutely nothing wrong. It’s true that the organisation that employs him has been given a contract by the council to work with the homeless, but the council absolutely isn’t employing him directly.
“I understand Ian checked with council officials that there was no problem with the arrangement, and they assured him there wasn’t. It’s totally unfair to turn round and disqualify him.
“This is also an injustice to the people of Margate who voted for Ian. It is totally wrong that their decision should be overturned on the basis of this bureaucratic bungling. The decision to disqualify Ian Venables is a disgrace, unjust and a democratic outrage.”